


if only i could, i'd make a deal with god

by Nito



Category: Naruto
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, we love a bisexual king sasuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nito/pseuds/Nito
Summary: Hinata knew that this marriage is what's best for her, her family, her clan. But is it what she wants?
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke, Past Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto - Relationship, past Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto - Relationship
Kudos: 26
Collections: Naruto AU Week 2021





	if only i could, i'd make a deal with god

This certainly wasn’t where Hinata had pictured herself as a child over a decade ago, filled with unrealistic girlish fantasies and daydreams.

Her bed was made, room dark and quiet, the sun not risen enough to peek through. Even the songbirds were silent. It was fitting, almost, a reflection of her mood. She preferred the quiet, welcomed awkward silences, a lull in conversation. 

There was a polite rap at her door, a servant no doubt.

“Hinata-sama, Hiashi-sama is ready for you.” Hinata listened as the branch member’s footsteps turned into silence. She got up, brushed nonexistent lint off of her plain navy kimono, and made her way to her father’s office.

When she arrived, Fugaku Uchiha sat primly to the side, ramrod straight and emotionless like any good Uchiha clan head. She bowed her head to her father, eyes downcast, and sat behind and to the left of Fugaku. The man appeared to pay her no mind, and she returned the favor to her future father-in-law.

“Hinata,” her father began as soon as she sat. “The Hyuuga-Uchiha marriage contract has been finalized, and your marriage to Sasuke Uchiha will take place this time next year.”

Hinata blinked. A year? Why so long of an engagement? Did the Uchiha make such a request, or was it her father?

She voiced none of these thoughts and instead, nodded. “Yes, father. I understand.”

If she had managed to meet Hiashi Hyuuga’s eyes, she would have seen the briefest flash of disquiet, perhaps even care, towards his eldest daughter. But she stared instead at her hands, clenched, grasping at her knees like a child holds on to their mother’s leg.

“Very well. Uchiha-san and I have much to discuss, Hinata. If you don’t mind.”

And with that she left, trying to ignore the impending sense of doom buried in her chest.

Everyone, herself included, had decided that this would be best for the clan. She was never going to be clan head, was never meant to be. And while it was never spoken in polite company, many wondered what the child of an Uchiha and a Hyuuga would be like - a boon to both clans, and Konoha, no doubt.

She had hardly seen the young Uchiha since their clans began negotiations, as he was always off on missions or training with Naruto and Sakura. It’s entirely possible he was avoiding her, hated her, and wanted no part in any of this. She couldn’t exactly blame him.

Hinata stopped, and realized that without thinking she had wandered into one of the many Hyuuga dojos, where Neji happened to be going through warm-up kata and stretches. He paused, catching her eye.

“Would you like to spar, Hinata-sama?” Outside the compound, he had dropped the honorific long ago. But not now.

Hinata nodded. “Of course, Neji-nii-san.” Without a word she began her stretches - it wouldn’t do to sprain an ankle or shoulder before meeting the Uchiha’s head family members. 

They traded blows easily, without using Byakugan at first. Hinata and Neji sparred so often that their moves were more like dancing, effortlessly anticipating the movement of a leg or the jabs of fingers. It wasn’t until both were sweaty and breathless that they paused for water.

“You seem distracted, Hinata-sama.” Neji said, somehow gracefully gulping down water. “You missed several openings.”

“My marriage to Sasuke has been finalized,” Hinata stated plainly. “This time next year - a spring wedding.” She tried to leave the wryness out of her tone, making it as flat and disinterested as possible, like she was talking about the weather or yesterday’s breakfast.

Neji said nothing, at least not right away, and instead drank thoughtfully. The Hyuuga genius was often reliably enigmatic. 

“I see. Congratulations.” Neji’s eyes told a far different story. Concern. They had both grown so much since the chuunin exams, and were more like brother and sister than main and branch house. He activated his Byakugan briefly, as it was frowned upon inside the Hyuuga compound, ensuring that curious eyes and ears weren’t around.

“If you don’t want this, Hinata, I can get you out,” Neji murmured. “We can leave tonight, I can escort you to the border, to Kumo or Suna.”  _ You have a choice,  _ he meant.  _ It doesn’t have to be like this. _

“Thank you Neji, but no. This is my responsibility, my duty. I’ll be alright.” Neji looked unsure. It sounded more like she was convincing herself than him.

“Of course, Hinata. If you change your mind…” The older ninja trailed off.

“I know where you live, Neji-nii,” Hinata said, smirking briefly before considering Neji’s words. “You truly think I’ll be unhappy?”

Neji paused.

“No. Not unhappy. But not content, either. People believe the Hyuuga to be aloof and snobbish, but the Uchiha are even more so. Sasuke Uchiha himself is an abrasive man, Hinata. I don’t wish to see you hurt.”

Hinata knew very little about Sasuke. She remembered his fights during the chuunin exam, nothing unexpected. Perhaps rather smug when he won. He disliked the attentions of the kunoichi who were infatuated with him. Nothing she could fault him for.

Besides, he was a grown man now. 

“Neji, I mean this respectfully…” Neji arched his brow curiously. “But if… if you can become a beloved member of the Hyuuga clan, my closest relative and confidant, then I have to believe that Uchiha-san is also a better person than he was at age twelve.”

At this, Neji genuinely smiled and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. 

“You are kind to a fault, Hinata-sama. I truly hope that is the case. My offer stands should you ever desire it, one month or one year from now.” With that, Neji stood and left, ambling towards the kitchens.

Hinata was left once again to her thoughts about the mysterious Uchiha.  _ Well, _ she thought. I _ suppose I’ll have to wait and find out. _

-

Month 1

Hinata and the rest of Team 8 had been called off to a mission, tracking down an undercover squad in enemy territory. It was weeks on the road, infiltration into a smaller village that disliked Konoha, and eventually pulling the team out of a freak catastrophic mudslide.

Akamaru’s paws were still caked with mud as they trekked exhausted through Konoha’s gates.

All Hinata wanted was a hot bath, hot food, and sleep - in a bed.

“I will go report to Hokage-sama, everyone,” Shino said. “Why? Because I have chakra to spare, and would like to be as far away from Akamaru’s muddy paws as possible.”

Kiba snickered, and pretended to take offense. “Don’t listen to him boy! You’re perfect!” He said, covering Akamaru’s ears from Shino’s barbed insults.

Hinata smiled and waved goodbye, making her way back to the Hyuuga compound. She hadn’t told her team about her impending marriage, not yet. She had an idea of what their reaction was going to be, and quite frankly, didn’t want to deal with it.

Cowardice was not a desirable attribute in a kunoichi. 

It was late when they arrived in Konoha, so by the time Hinata made it home, it was nightfall and the main house was near empty. The only ones awake were a few branch members prepping for the morning’s breakfast, or an errant main house member that couldn’t sleep.

Hinata woke in the morning feeling marginally better, having had a decent night’s sleep and change of clothes. 

Breakfast was a quiet affair, until a branch member came up beside her.

“Hiashi-sama is requesting your presence after breakfast, Hinata-sama.”

She took longer than usual to finish her meal, a small piece of control and passive-aggression that she could direct towards her father. He was surrounded by stacks of paper when she entered his office, not an unusual sight.

“Hinata, please,” Hiashi said, gesturing to one of the cushions in front of his desk. Hinata kneeled with muscle memory, as she had done this dozens, if not hundreds of times.

Hinata waited expectantly, but not for long, as her father shuffled around a few papers.

“You have a meeting today with the Uchiha. Since your mission took up so much time after your engagement, we haven’t been able to schedule a proper meeting. Think of it as an introduction.”

“Yes, father.” A beat of silence. “Who will be there?” Hiashi looked up at this, pausing his document organization.

“Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, Itachi, and Sasuke himself. Nine in the morning at the Uchiha compound.”

Hinata nodded. The first time she’ll be meeting any of the Uchiha formally, and Sasuke since the war. “Will you be there as well, father?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll ensure that things go smoothly.” Hard to tell if he meant that genuinely or if it was a veiled insult.

“Thank you, father.” With that, she left.

The Uchiha compound was not too different from the Hyuuga’s. Built around the time, with a similar population, all that truly different was the layout and a few aesthetic choices. The Uchiha preferred darker colors and designs, while the Hyuuga preferred white and neutrals. Both, however, maintained a sense of rigid tradition and cherished history.

Before her marriage, there was little cooperation between the two oldest clans of Konoha. It wasn’t that they loathed each other, but were merely neutral. That was the sense that Hinata got from her father, anyway. And the fact that this meeting was almost painfully formal, familiar but different enough that it made her head swim.

The Uchiha were all angles, strong jaws and keen eyes, while the Hyuuga were more demure and rounded. Both were incredibly intimidating, and sitting in the same room as Fugaku Uchiha was no different than having supper with Hiashi.

Mikoto was different however. Perhaps like her mother would have been. Hinata could tell that her austerity was more of an act, a facade, by the way she chided Sasuke for slouching or passed Itachi a side dish without his asking.

She had kind eyes, for an Uchiha. So did Itachi.

Hinata couldn’t tell if Sasuke looked more like his father or mother.

They sat across from each other, parents (pretending like they weren’t watching, listening) on either side.

Fugaku and Hiashi continued their dry conversation about the minutiae of clan head duties

Sasuke sipped his tea, casually studying her - like she was prey, and he was a predator. Hinata’s fingers twitched nervously, itching to pick at a hem or tuck away strands of her dark hair.

Gathering up her courage, she cleared her throat. “Sasuke-san… I heard that you got promoted to jounin recently. Will you be staying with Team 7 as a strike team or…” She trailed off, not coming up with other options.

To his credit, Sasuke appeared to at least politely consider her question. 

“I don’t wish to join ANBU, so I’m considering staying with Team 7. Sakura keeps telling me I’d make a good jounin-sensei.” Hinata’s mouth twitched, the ghost of a smile, and she was sure Sasuke saw it. She smothered any hint of emotion like a good little Hyuuga heir and nodded.

“Ah, I see. So do you like children, Sasuke-san?”

“No.”

There was a beat of silence. Hinata would’ve sworn she saw Itachi wince. Whether it was out of embarrassment or trying to hide amusement, she couldn’t tell.

“Oh.”

“She believes I could be a good teacher. Don’t know why.” There was another pause, until Sasuke remembered how to be polite. “And what about you, Hinata-san?”

Hinata perked up somewhat, always excited to talk about her work. “I work in research at the hospital - mostly with the medicinal plants. Sometimes if an especially complex eye injury comes in, I’m called to assist.” Sasuke seemed taken aback at her enthusiasm, and frankly it was the most she’d probably ever said to the man.

Sasuke’s expression shifted. It was different than earlier - he was studying her like she was a particularly fascinating bug or complex puzzle; his scrutinizing gaze trying to piece her together. Like he was looking at her for the first time. 

The Uchiha were not known for being particularly verbose, and Hinata had long since been taught to not fill silence with idle chatter. So they sat, Sasuke having run out of any social niceties he may have possessed, and Hinata trying not to fidget too noticeably. 

Thankfully, Fugaku and Hiashi ended the meeting soon after, both smug and sure it was a rousing success. Hinata didn’t look back as she left, but she was convinced Sasuke watched her leave.

**Author's Note:**

> can you tell i exclusively listened to kate bush's "running up that hill" while writing this? no?
> 
> this is technically a work in progress but I also don't see myself finishing this so have a little cliffhanger. as a treat


End file.
